Hands up, Surrender!! I lost to a freewheel today.
02-14-16, 04:49 PM
#1
Cat 6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Mountain Brook, AL
Posts: 7,489
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 492 Post(s)
Liked 161 Times
in
107 Posts
Hands up, Surrender!! I lost to a freewheel today.
The opponent - a Regina Extra 2 prong 5s
The reason: broken drive side spoke.
The bike: 1973 Holdsworth Record, in a complete teardown and rebuild.
A previous owner had attempted to remove this one before, as the slots were already mangled.
Round one - chisel the pieces off, soak in PB Blaster, get the remover to seat properly, attach skewer, place in vice, turn.
Result: Break my cheap cast vice. First tool down & out. Freewheel still stuck.
Round two - use a wrench with a cheater pipe.
Result: continued shredding of the removal tangs, just enlarging the slots, now about triple the original width. No movement.
Round three - time for destructive phase. Get out the chain whips. The first cog comes off, but with difficulty and too much force.
Result: first victory
Round four - second cog. Need a cheater bar, but I eventually win.
Result: this round to me, two in a row
Round five - third cog. Cheater bar again, and have to repair one chain whip after it snaps a link. But cog eventually unscrews.
Result: third one for the good guys.
But then round six - fourth cog. One tooth breaks off cog 4, one tooth bent on cog 5. Both chain whips break a link and have to be repaired. Nothing budges.
Result: I wave the white flag. FREEWHEEL wins.
I cut all the spokes, remove the internals, and now I have find a hub & lace up a new wheel, plus obtain a freewheel, two things that weren't on the to-do list.
That's my story of a wasted afternoon.
Lost to any components recently?
The reason: broken drive side spoke.
The bike: 1973 Holdsworth Record, in a complete teardown and rebuild.
A previous owner had attempted to remove this one before, as the slots were already mangled.
Round one - chisel the pieces off, soak in PB Blaster, get the remover to seat properly, attach skewer, place in vice, turn.
Result: Break my cheap cast vice. First tool down & out. Freewheel still stuck.
Round two - use a wrench with a cheater pipe.
Result: continued shredding of the removal tangs, just enlarging the slots, now about triple the original width. No movement.
Round three - time for destructive phase. Get out the chain whips. The first cog comes off, but with difficulty and too much force.
Result: first victory
Round four - second cog. Need a cheater bar, but I eventually win.
Result: this round to me, two in a row
Round five - third cog. Cheater bar again, and have to repair one chain whip after it snaps a link. But cog eventually unscrews.
Result: third one for the good guys.
But then round six - fourth cog. One tooth breaks off cog 4, one tooth bent on cog 5. Both chain whips break a link and have to be repaired. Nothing budges.
Result: I wave the white flag. FREEWHEEL wins.
I cut all the spokes, remove the internals, and now I have find a hub & lace up a new wheel, plus obtain a freewheel, two things that weren't on the to-do list.
That's my story of a wasted afternoon.
Lost to any components recently?
02-14-16, 05:02 PM
#2
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Ex Pres
The opponent - a Regina Extra 2 prong 5s
The reason: broken drive side spoke.
The bike: 1973 Holdsworth Record, in a complete teardown and rebuild.
A previous owner had attempted to remove this one before, as the slots were already mangled.
Round one - chisel the pieces off, soak in PB Blaster, get the remover to seat properly, attach skewer, place in vice, turn.
Result: Break my cheap cast vice. First tool down & out. Freewheel still stuck.
Round two - use a wrench with a cheater pipe.
Result: continued shredding of the removal tangs, just enlarging the slots, now about triple the original width. No movement.
Round three - time for destructive phase. Get out the chain whips. The first cog comes off, but with difficulty and too much force.
Result: first victory
Round four - second cog. Need a cheater bar, but I eventually win.
Result: this round to me, two in a row
Round five - third cog. Cheater bar again, and have to repair one chain whip after it snaps a link. But cog eventually unscrews.
Result: third one for the good guys.
But then round six - fourth cog. One tooth breaks off cog 4, one tooth bent on cog 5. Both chain whips break a link and have to be repaired. Nothing budges.
Result: I wave the white flag. FREEWHEEL wins.
I cut all the spokes, remove the internals, and now I have find a hub & lace up a new wheel, plus obtain a freewheel, two things that weren't on the to-do list.
That's my story of a wasted afternoon.
Lost to any components recently?
The reason: broken drive side spoke.
The bike: 1973 Holdsworth Record, in a complete teardown and rebuild.
A previous owner had attempted to remove this one before, as the slots were already mangled.
Round one - chisel the pieces off, soak in PB Blaster, get the remover to seat properly, attach skewer, place in vice, turn.
Result: Break my cheap cast vice. First tool down & out. Freewheel still stuck.
Round two - use a wrench with a cheater pipe.
Result: continued shredding of the removal tangs, just enlarging the slots, now about triple the original width. No movement.
Round three - time for destructive phase. Get out the chain whips. The first cog comes off, but with difficulty and too much force.
Result: first victory
Round four - second cog. Need a cheater bar, but I eventually win.
Result: this round to me, two in a row
Round five - third cog. Cheater bar again, and have to repair one chain whip after it snaps a link. But cog eventually unscrews.
Result: third one for the good guys.
But then round six - fourth cog. One tooth breaks off cog 4, one tooth bent on cog 5. Both chain whips break a link and have to be repaired. Nothing budges.
Result: I wave the white flag. FREEWHEEL wins.
I cut all the spokes, remove the internals, and now I have find a hub & lace up a new wheel, plus obtain a freewheel, two things that weren't on the to-do list.
That's my story of a wasted afternoon.
Lost to any components recently?
If the removal slots are that mangled the freewheel is toast anyway, so don't feel too bad. Cutting the spokes was probably a mistake. You'll never get the freewheel body off the hub now.
02-14-16, 05:44 PM
#3
Freewheel Medic
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: An Island on the Coast of GA!
Posts: 12,409
Bikes: Snazzy* Schwinns, Classy Cannondales, Aero Lotus & a Lonely '83 Santana Tandem (* Ed.)
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1147 Post(s)
Liked 1,335 Times
in
622 Posts
Part of the challenge on cogs 4 and 5 (largest two), they thread off in reverse from the back of the freewheel body, so there is no way to remove them while the freewheel body is still attached to the hub.
Too bad this has been a challenge but they can be real PITA. I had to remove one using the destructive method a week ago.
Too bad this has been a challenge but they can be real PITA. I had to remove one using the destructive method a week ago.
__________________
Bob
Enjoying the GA coast all year long!
Thanks for visiting my website: www.freewheelspa.com
Bob
Enjoying the GA coast all year long!
Thanks for visiting my website: www.freewheelspa.com
02-14-16, 05:51 PM
#4
All Campy All The Time
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Posts: 1,401
Bikes: Listed in my signature.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 162 Post(s)
Liked 81 Times
in
54 Posts
Broke the vise? Now that's a tough one.
A used Regina probably had minimal value, but what kind of hub was involved?
A used Regina probably had minimal value, but what kind of hub was involved?
__________________
My C&V Bikes:
1972 Bottecchia Professional, 1972 Legnano Olympiade Record,
1982 Colnago Super, 1987 Bottecchia Team C-Record,
1988 Pinarello Montello, 1990 Masi Nuova Strada Super Record,
1995 Bianchi Campione d'Italia, 1995 DeBernardi Thron
My C&V Bikes:
1972 Bottecchia Professional, 1972 Legnano Olympiade Record,
1982 Colnago Super, 1987 Bottecchia Team C-Record,
1988 Pinarello Montello, 1990 Masi Nuova Strada Super Record,
1995 Bianchi Campione d'Italia, 1995 DeBernardi Thron
02-14-16, 05:53 PM
#5
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Ex Pres
The opponent - a Regina Extra 2 prong 5s...
...Result: I wave the white flag. FREEWHEEL wins.
...Result: I wave the white flag. FREEWHEEL wins.
From what I've seen the easiest and fastest way to non-destructively remove a freewheel with stripped or damaged notches is to use a #8 easy-out tool. This was how Schwinn dealers were taught to do it back in the '60s and '70s. You can get the tool here: Irwin 52408 #8 Easy Out Screw Extractor
I never let the freewheel win.
02-14-16, 06:19 PM
#6
Senior Member
Originally Posted by Metacortex
I've posted this before but it bears repeating:
From what I've seen the easiest and fastest way to non-destructively remove a freewheel with stripped or damaged notches is to use a #8 easy-out tool. This was how Schwinn dealers were taught to do it back in the '60s and '70s.
From what I've seen the easiest and fastest way to non-destructively remove a freewheel with stripped or damaged notches is to use a #8 easy-out tool. This was how Schwinn dealers were taught to do it back in the '60s and '70s.
02-14-16, 06:20 PM
#7
Banned.
Join Date: May 2011
Location: on the beach
Posts: 4,859
Bikes: '73 falcon sr, '76 grand record, '84 davidson
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 59 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 17 Times
in
13 Posts
"Lost to any components recently?"
yes. same thing finally happened to me after previously never losing to a freewheel. buggered my suntour removal tool in the process.
but i did something really stupid afterwards. i found an ofmega replacement hub, measured it, and ordered spokes, only to find out while lacing that it's a 32h hub for a 36h rim.
so i found a campy hub online. we'll see if it's close enough to use the same new spokes. not too worried, but i hate myself a little bit more.
yes. same thing finally happened to me after previously never losing to a freewheel. buggered my suntour removal tool in the process.
but i did something really stupid afterwards. i found an ofmega replacement hub, measured it, and ordered spokes, only to find out while lacing that it's a 32h hub for a 36h rim.
so i found a campy hub online. we'll see if it's close enough to use the same new spokes. not too worried, but i hate myself a little bit more.
02-14-16, 07:31 PM
#8
Cat 6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Mountain Brook, AL
Posts: 7,489
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 492 Post(s)
Liked 161 Times
in
107 Posts
Originally Posted by Salamandrine
It's been forever and a day, but IIRC you only have to take off the last cog to get to the cone/cover plate thing. Take that off with a pin tool (reverse threaded) and the whole outer body can come off. Bearings will go everywhere.
If the removal slots are that mangled the freewheel is toast anyway, so don't feel too bad. Cutting the spokes was probably a mistake. You'll never get the freewheel body off the hub now.
If the removal slots are that mangled the freewheel is toast anyway, so don't feel too bad. Cutting the spokes was probably a mistake. You'll never get the freewheel body off the hub now.
Originally Posted by pastorbobnlnh
Part of the challenge on cogs 4 and 5 (largest two), they thread off in reverse from the back of the freewheel body, so there is no way to remove them while the freewheel body is still attached to the hub.
Originally Posted by CroMo Mike
Broke the vise? Now that's a tough one.
A used Regina probably had minimal value, but what kind of hub was involved?
A used Regina probably had minimal value, but what kind of hub was involved?
It was only a cheap cast Lowe's vice, but still that's pretty pitiful. I'll spring for a forged job next time.
02-14-16, 07:37 PM
#9
Cat 6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Mountain Brook, AL
Posts: 7,489
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 492 Post(s)
Liked 161 Times
in
107 Posts
Originally Posted by Metacortex
I've posted this before but it bears repeating:
From what I've seen the easiest and fastest way to non-destructively remove a freewheel with stripped or damaged notches is to use a #8 easy-out tool.
I never let the freewheel win.
From what I've seen the easiest and fastest way to non-destructively remove a freewheel with stripped or damaged notches is to use a #8 easy-out tool.
I never let the freewheel win.
Last edited by Ex Pres; 02-14-16 at 07:51 PM.
02-14-16, 07:58 PM
#10
Partially Sane.
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Sunny Sacramento.
Posts: 3,562
Bikes: Soma Saga, pre-disc
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 971 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 638 Times
in
463 Posts
Yep, I somewhat recently lost to a seatpost, that's really stuck in a Rockhopper frame. I haven't totally given up yet, but that particular frame is safely stored out of sight, for now.
02-16-16, 09:12 AM
#11
Stop reading my posts!
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 12,357
Mentioned: 81 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1183 Post(s)
Liked 723 Times
in
562 Posts
hate to hear it but SOME times you have to give give one up to the Bicycle Gremlins...the next battle will go your way.
Thanks to metacortex for the easyout suggestion, I would not have thought of that one and don't think I own one that big (no. 8), but next time I will buy one if/when the need arises.
Thanks to metacortex for the easyout suggestion, I would not have thought of that one and don't think I own one that big (no. 8), but next time I will buy one if/when the need arises.
Likes For unworthy1:
02-16-16, 09:50 AM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 11,138
Bikes: 1986 Alan Record Carbonio, 1985 Vitus Plus Carbone 7, 1984 Peugeot PSV, 1972 Line Seeker, 1986(est.) Medici Aerodynamic (Project), 1985(est.) Peugeot PY10FC
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 148 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 29 Times
in
24 Posts
Tightest freewheel I ever had to remove was also a Regina. Thankfully it had splines on its body instead of slots, or I would have had the,same results as you had. It came off after what felt like enough force I had to exert on the end of my largest adjustable wrench, so much that it felt like I could have broken or ruptured something in my torso. The wheel made a some weird noises, that sounded scary, but it held together.....
Weird thing was, I was expecting to see all sorts of corrosion between the FW body and hub threads, but there was hardly any to be seen....
Weird thing was, I was expecting to see all sorts of corrosion between the FW body and hub threads, but there was hardly any to be seen....
02-16-16, 10:34 AM
#13
my bikes have chrome
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 4,008
Bikes: Schwinn Volare ('78); Raleigh Competition GS ('79)
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 747 Post(s)
Liked 626 Times
in
312 Posts
I ran into the same thing with the Regina freewheel on my Paramount. In the end I was victorious, but it wasn't pretty and the freewheel was destroyed.
On a different stuck freewheel I had to leave it with the guys at the coop who welded a long bar to the outside of it and removed it that way. Even with the extra leverage and several people involved they said it was an epic struggle.
On a different stuck freewheel I had to leave it with the guys at the coop who welded a long bar to the outside of it and removed it that way. Even with the extra leverage and several people involved they said it was an epic struggle.
__________________
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
02-16-16, 10:52 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Fredericksburg, Va
Posts: 9,127
Bikes: '73 Bottecchia Giro d'Italia, '83 Colnago Superissimo, '84 Trek 610, '84 Trek 760, '88 Pinarello Veneto, '88 De Rosa Pro, '89 Pinarello Montello, '94 Burley Duet, 97 Specialized RockHopper, 2010 Langster, Tern Link D8
Mentioned: 67 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1436 Post(s)
Liked 1,774 Times
in
897 Posts
Lost to a seatpost too. This is what is left of it as I won getting it removed but lost the post!
[IMG]
WP_20160107_002, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]
WP_20160107_002, on Flickr[/IMG]
__________________
Bikes don't stand alone. They are two tired.
Bikes don't stand alone. They are two tired.
02-16-16, 12:17 PM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Yukon, Canada
Posts: 8,773
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 108 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times
in
13 Posts
Originally Posted by Salamandrine
It's been forever and a day, but IIRC you only have to take off the last cog to get to the cone/cover plate thing. Take that off with a pin tool (reverse threaded) and the whole outer body can come off. Bearings will go everywhere.
If the removal slots are that mangled the freewheel is toast anyway, so don't feel too bad. Cutting the spokes was probably a mistake. You'll never get the freewheel body off the hub now.
If the removal slots are that mangled the freewheel is toast anyway, so don't feel too bad. Cutting the spokes was probably a mistake. You'll never get the freewheel body off the hub now.
__________________
1 Super Record bike, 1 Nuovo Record bike, 1 Pista, 1 Road, 1 Cyclocross/Allrounder, 1 MTB, 1 Touring, 1 Fixed gear
1 Super Record bike, 1 Nuovo Record bike, 1 Pista, 1 Road, 1 Cyclocross/Allrounder, 1 MTB, 1 Touring, 1 Fixed gear
02-16-16, 01:14 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 617
Bikes: Trek 400 Elance, Losa Winner, 1994 Schwinn Paramount, Specialized Tarmac Pro, Miele SLX, Ibis Ripley, Colnago Oval CX, 84 Masi GC, 1986 Schwinn Voyageur, 1988 Schwinn Tempo, 1998 Schwinn Peloton, 1991 Paramount Ser3
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 147 Post(s)
Liked 71 Times
in
45 Posts
Yeah, this seems to be the way to go. Gut the freewheel by removing that outer dust/bearing retainer plate, the reverse threads, and put a pipe wrench on the core of the freewheel. Something is going to give, usually what's left of the freewheel.
Originally Posted by Salamandrine
It's been forever and a day, but IIRC you only have to take off the last cog to get to the cone/cover plate thing. Take that off with a pin tool (reverse threaded) and the whole outer body can come off. Bearings will go everywhere.
If the removal slots are that mangled the freewheel is toast anyway, so don't feel too bad. Cutting the spokes was probably a mistake. You'll never get the freewheel body off the hub now.
If the removal slots are that mangled the freewheel is toast anyway, so don't feel too bad. Cutting the spokes was probably a mistake. You'll never get the freewheel body off the hub now.
02-16-16, 01:38 PM
#17
Banned.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,394
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2586 Post(s)
Liked 4,767 Times
in
1,697 Posts
Originally Posted by SJX426
Lost to a seatpost too. This is what is left of it as I won getting it removed but lost the post!
[IMG]WP_20160107_002, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]
WP_20160107_002, on Flickr[/IMG]DD
02-16-16, 02:02 PM
#18
Cat 6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Mountain Brook, AL
Posts: 7,489
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 492 Post(s)
Liked 161 Times
in
107 Posts
Originally Posted by Salamandrine
It's been forever and a day, but IIRC you only have to take off the last cog to get to the cone/cover plate thing. Take that off with a pin tool (reverse threaded) and the whole outer body can come off.
02-16-16, 10:13 PM
#19
PeopleCode delaminator
Originally Posted by Drillium Dude
That's a picture to be proud of
DD
DD
So far, here's my favorite seatpost removal result:
But, back on topic, I've snapped the threaded portion of a hub shell off in an attempt to remove a seized up rusty freewheel. I suspect he hub may have already been damaged, so no real loss.
02-16-16, 11:18 PM
#20
(this space for rent)
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: White Bluff, TN
Posts: 437
Bikes: 2018 Synapse Dura-Ace, 1995 Specialized M2-pro, 1995 Gary Fisher Montare
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
Originally Posted by stardognine
Yep, I somewhat recently lost to a seatpost, that's really stuck in a Rockhopper frame. I haven't totally given up yet, but that particular frame is safely stored out of sight, for now.
02-17-16, 02:31 AM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,112
Mentioned: 101 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1482 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 608 Times
in
400 Posts
Could it be the steel alloy or the finish machining on Regina FWs make them easy to get impossibly stuck on to hubs???
Or might it be a curse on the brand from the workers at Maillard........
Or might it be a curse on the brand from the workers at Maillard........
02-17-16, 06:22 AM
#22
is just a real cool dude
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The Thumb, MI
Posts: 3,167
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 27 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 22 Times
in
9 Posts
Don't feel bad. I lost a MB1 to seized seatpost. It had a nice Nitto post but I sacrificed the post over the frame. Stuck the post in a vice and post sheared off right at the top of the seat tube lug. Then proceeded with the pie cutting and went to knock the pieces loose and sent a flat head screwdriver through the side of the seat tube. The pie cuts still didn't move after being cut into sections. How's that for a loss? That one still hurts.
02-23-17, 01:49 AM
#23
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 10
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hi there - would the easy-out tool make it possible to remove AND reuse an 80'ies regina corsa freewheel with two destroyed notches?
Thanx for sharing in this thread.
Thanx for sharing in this thread.
02-23-17, 04:21 AM
#24
Full Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southeastern,VA
Posts: 309
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 35 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 35 Times
in
19 Posts
uff. A note for the destructive method is to not clamp it too tight in the vice. This can damage the threads on the hub. Sacrifices need to be made some time though.
